Nixon sets August vote for vacant Mo. House seats

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Jay Nixon has set an Aug. 5 special election to fill three vacant Missouri House seats.

Nixon announced the House election dates Friday, but he did not call for a vote to replace Sen. Ryan McKenna, who he appointed in December as the state labor director.

The 120th House District has been vacant since Republican Jason Smith, of Salem, resigned in June upon winning a special election to Congress.

The two other House seats opened up in December. Democratic Rep. Steve Webb, of Florissant, resigned while facing criminal charges. Republican Rep. Dennis Fowler, of Advance, resigned when Nixon appointed him to the state Board of Probation and Parole.

The special election announcements come as Nixon is facing a lawsuit seeking to compel him to call the elections.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)